Wrexham PCSO funding could be cut in half

Wrexham Council is planning to reduce the number of officers it pays for from nine down to four, along with a part time town centre warden to address anti-social behaviour.

It would see the number of PCSOs patrolling the town's largest housing estate in Caia Park reduce from nine and a half full time equivalent officers to eight.

In the Acton/Borras area would lose two officers, while one and a half would be dropped from Offa/Esclusham and one lost from both Llangollen/Cefn Mawr and Ruabon/Plas Madoc.

However, the number of officers in the town centre would be boosted from two to five.

The authority's lead member for communities, partnerships, public protection and community safety Hugh Jones said the move was being made in a bid to save money.

He said: "As part of the reshaping programme, a proposal was made to end the service level agreement with North Wales Police in October 2018, in order to fully realise budget savings.

"Following the public consultation and feedback from the general public, an

alternative proposal was agreed which would result in a 50 per cent reduction in the council’s contribution, rather than 100 per cent.

"This alternative proposal seeks to continue the Service Level Agreement with North Wales Police but to reduce funding to provide for 4 PCSO’s and 0.5 of a post towards additional outreach/enforcement provision focussed on the town centre.

"This gives a potential saving of £82,000 for 2018/19 if the agreement

with North Wales Police is made by 1 September 2018 and a further £58,574

for 2019/20."

The authority currently has an agreement in place with North Wales Police to fund PCSOs, which runs until 31 March 2019.

Under the agreement it pays £281,150 for nine full time equivalent posts, which are allocated based on the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation scores for each council ward.

The new proposals are set to be debated by members of the council's crime and disorder scrutiny committee next Wednesday.